Does Your Dog Need A Prosthetic After A Limb Amputation?
Can Your Dog Live With A Prosthetic After The Operation?
Is your dog facing the possibility of having one of its limbs amputated due to an accident or a disease? This surgery is not uncommon, especially when dog owners have pets that experience a terrible car accident or bone cancer, which calls for an amputation.
We call these amputated canines ‘tripods’ which is a lovable description known by all dog lovers for the animals that have to live with three limbs. It is understandable if you feel upset and confused about making such a big decision for your dog, but do not be worried.
It is also quite understandable to feel at a loss when facing a decision that will clearly change your dog’s life forever. The good news is that your pet will be okay (depending on the reason of course) once the surgery is over.
Your Vet Will Help You With The Decision
The first thing your vet will advise you, is whether to have your dog amputated at the leg, shoulder, or the hip. This of course depends on a few factors, such as the reason for the surgery or whether or not the dog will have a prosthetic limb mounted to replace the missing one.
Does Your Dog Have Cancer?
If your dog has cancer, which is cause for the amputation, it is best to remove the entire leg. However, if there is no medical reason for the surgery and you have the choice of leaving a stump, then this would be the ideal situation for a prosthetic. A stump will help the prosthetic to remain secured tightly.
Having a stump will make attaching the prosthetic replacement limb much easier. If the amputation is done below the knee, a prosthetic will allow your dog to have full function of the leg. The bottom of the stump must be healthy. The surgeon may even add a pad to the bottom, or pull excess muscle from the bone to place at the end of the stump. This is for protection, as well as to further aid in the attachment of the prosthetic leg.
If your dog needs to have the leg completely amputated, as with many bone cancer cases, there really is no proper way to have a prosthetic installed.Forced replacement would be extremely rigid and quite uncomfortable for your dog. The only option is to leave it alone and allow the animal to get used to life with three limbs, which all dogs can accomplish quite easily and without pain.
My Dog Has Fleas and They Are Out Of Control
Every time warm weather approaches, veterinarians are once again overflowed with complaints and questions from worried dog and cat owners, who are waging the recurrent battle against external parasites, particularly fleas and ticks.
The problem of parasites and the complications they cause is an extensive and serious one, but one that has been faced by nearly every pet owner at one time or another. In an effort to spare your pet a great deal of suffering this coming summer, we would like to answer two questions that are most commonly asked by pet owners about those annoying parasites; fleas and ticks.
What Exactly Are Fleas & Ticks?
Fleas are tiny insects that, as adults, must suck blood from another creature to sustain their own lives. Fleas are wingless, six-legged parasites, capable of jumping with surprising speed and may infest your pet alone by the thousands. The flea is a dark, reddish-brown color, similar to dried blood and is a common external parasite found in most parts of the United States.
The tick, a friend in misery to the flea, is generally dark in color, several times larger than the flea and when on your pet does not move about but rather attaches itself to your pet’s skin and remains at that spot until it has satisfied its hunger for blood.
The female tick, engorged with blood, may look like a large, grayish-white, puffy pea-sized object, which on closer inspection, is attached by its tiny mouth to the animal’s skin. Often in close proximity to the underbelly of the female lies another smaller tick, a male waiting to complete the breeding cycle.
How Will I Know If My Pet Has Fleas Or Ticks?
The most common reaction of an animal infested with external parasites is an insatiable desire to scratch or chew at its skin. Frequent periodic checks of your pet’s skin and coat are advisable, especially during warm spring and summer months when the parasite problem reaches its peak performance. Fleas are frequently spotted leaping from place to place across the animal’s body.
If no fleas are readily apparent, part the animal’s fur close to the skin and check for flea excrement, which are specks of black, pepper-like dirt that, when wet, regain the color of the blood ingested by the flea. This discovery is a very good guarantee that fleas are present in your pet. On longhaired animals, checking the lower abdomen, genitals and other areas of sparser hair growth will sometimes give clues when all else fails.
Ticks are more easily identified since they are easily seen by the naked eye. If long hair is in the way, a thorough stroking of the animal’s skin from head to toe will usually reveal the whereabouts of ticks by the feel of their tiny, hard-shelled bodies close to the skin.
Engorged female ticks are generally quite obvious because of their greatly enlarged size and distinctive appearance. Ticks frequently go unnoticed when lodged in ears, around the anus, on the tail and in between paw pads, so be sure not to neglect those areas.
Air Travel – Why Are Dogs Dying On Airplanes?
Animal air travel is not always dangerous for your pet. Dog enthusiasts and breeders routinely fly their dogs without having any trouble at all. The airlines make every claim possible that dogs that travel on-board will be perfectly safe. The same claim is held by the Transportation Association of America.
The American Kennel Club feels differently. But the organization’s leading spokesperson does add that air travel may be safe provided that the owners take specific precautionary measures.
The number one suggestion to all pet owners is to completely avoid sending your dog traveling in an airplane unless it is absolutely necessary. Many veterinarians and humane organizations are constantly reporting about dog injuries from air travel, due to dogs that desperately attempt to claw their way out of the crate in order to escape. Some of them actually do escape and become injured in the cargo bay.
It is much safer to bring your dog inside your car or SUV when traveling inside the country. You can take breaks as needed, so that your dog can stretch its legs, use the bathroom and remain free of stress and anxiety. Your dog will also be surrounded by its family which helps provide comfort and security during the long trip.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Of course there are a large number of successful trips made by dogs on airplanes, but every now again a true horror story emerges. One of the most important things you can do is to have your dog thoroughly checked by your veterinarian for any medical issues.
This check-up should be scheduled approximately 9 to 10 days before the trip begins. Many dog owners have no idea that there pets may have a pre-existing condition that could become a problem during the flight.
A perfect example is older dogs. They could be at the beginning stages of kidney disease and you would never know because early in this condition, the dog compensates by drinking tons of water. If an older dog in this condition sets foot on an airplane without water to drink, it may experience renal failure.
Is Your Dog Safe When Traveling By Air Travel?
Just because thousands and thousands of pets are safely transferred from one destination to another via the airlines, it does not mean that dog owners are without responsible precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their family pet.
After reading through the following guidelines that should be taken before boarding your dog on a plane, you will realize just how important it is.
Listen To Your Instincts In Regards To Your Dog’s Personality
Just because they are animals, it doesn’t mean that all dogs can easily cope with the experience of being locked up in a crate during an airplane ride. Every dog owner knows what his or her dog’s personality is like. Trust your gut instincts on whether or not you think your dog can handle the flight. If it doesn’t feel right, then your instincts are trying to tell you something about your dog’s separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety is a real condition that should not be overlooked. It is estimated that almost 20% of all dogs suffer at some level from separation anxiety. These personality types make very poor candidates for airplane travel. Such dogs should not be left alone and when their condition reaches elevated levels, it is not uncommon for a dog to literally chew through a metal cage in trying to escape, causing severe injuries that can cause the dog to bleed to death.
Minimize Anxiety By Preparing Your Dog For The Experience Of Flying
It is never acceptable to force your dog to experience flying if it is deemed to have separation anxiety problems. However, there is always the possibility that you can condition it to fly without having any problems.
This can be accomplished by getting your dog accustomed to the travel carrier that it will be flying in. Simply have one located in your house and keep your dog inside as often as possible. This can be done during meals, sleep time and while driving around in the car. Eventually, it will be totally comfortable inside the crate and this will aid in making the dog feel more secure during the plane ride.
Your Dog May Get Lost When Accidentally Transferred To A Different Airplane
One of our previous tips for dog owners and air travel was to only select direct flights. Many times, passengers and their luggage may have to transfer to two or more different airplanes before reaching their final destination. It is during these times when some dogs become lost, never to be found again. They accidentally get transferred to the wrong airplane.
To minimize the chances of your dog not making its way back to you, the best thing you can do is ensure proper identification. Have a permanent ID securely attached to your pet that has your phone number, home address and any contact information about the place you are traveling to. Microchips and tattoos are also options that can be taken. They may seem extreme, but when it comes to your dog and the possibility of it getting lost during air travel, it’s definitely worth it, wouldn’t you agree?
Don’t Let Your Dog Be A Statistic With Air Travel
An alarming number of dogs and other pets become injured, lost, or even die on board an airplane when traveling. Compared to the number of successful animals transported from one location to another via the airlines, this number is low, however, it only takes one incident to change your life forever when your dog becomes seriously injured, or dies because of a lack of preparation on your part.
The most important precautionary measure to take for the safety of your dog, is to take him to the vet for a complete checkup to avoid complicating a pre-existing medical condition. Please add the following additional tips to your list:
Select The Quickest Airline Route
Researching for the flight that will make the trip for your dog go by the fastest is easy, but one that many dog owners do not think about. Take some time and research all of the options available and ask the airline which flight time is the fastest.
Additionally, avoid flights that do not fly directly to your destination. It does not happen often, but some dogs get transferred to the wrong airplane, arrive in a totally different location than the intended destination and worse yet – never make it back to its owner.
Choose Flight Times During The Morning Or Evening
As far as comfort for your dog, do your best to select a flight that is either during the early morning hours or early evening time. These are the best times during the day in which your dog will experience the most comfortable of temperatures. Avoid flying your pet during extreme weather in climates that are too hot or too cold. Remember, it will be stuffed down in the cargo area.
